The Style Stories Christmas Gift Guide 2017: For Her

Oh yes - it's gift guide time!

With just under 40 shopping days left until Christmas, I think now's a good time to start thinking about what you're gifting your loved ones this year - or gathering some wishlist inspo for yourself. If 40 days isn't scary enough for you, think of it as six late-night Thursday shopping trips, or five and a half weekends to dash around your local high street. Personally, I prefer to get my Christmas shopping done online and delivered to my office, so that I can spend those precious pre-Christmas weekends making merry, instead of sweatily charging around the shops and rapidly losing all sense of 'goodwill'.

I digress. My first Christmas gift guide is for the ladies in your life - mamas, nanas, sisters, girlfriends, best friends - the ladies who hold you up and keep you together. Let's spoil them, shall we?

Giving memorable gifts isn't always about dropping the dollar big-time, ya know? As much as I love receiving something lavish, thoughtful presents always stick out above pricey ones, so I've tried to create a mix of fun and reasonably-priced, and luxurious must-haves for the ladies you love this Christmas. And if you're anything like me, you'll be adding a couple of these to your own wishlist too...

If there's a lady in your life really worth spoiling hard this Christmas, she might just love this beautiful Mansur Gavriel Mini Suede Bucket Bag (£325), in this gorgeous rusty red shade. It's an outlandish purchase but would make a perfect present, and would look fabulous for years to come.

Back on to the more purse-friendly side of things: pop the new Balmain x L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Lipstick in Urban Safari (£12.99) into her stocking and watch her face light up. This lush nude shade suits all skin tones, and it's housed in the most lavish emerald green packaging - incredibly luxe, but without the price tag to match.

I don't know about you, but this next gift idea sends me all aflutter. Who wouldn't love a pair of pink velvet peeptoe platforms? Well, your Nan might not, but you know what I mean... These Mango ones are just £29.99 and are the stuff that dreams are made of.

Another great stocking filler suggestion is a pair of tasselled earrings - they've been everywhere this season and would look as fabulous at a NYE party as they would to jazz up your January jumpers. This hot pink pair from Topshop (£10) is perfect.

We'd all love a pair of Desmond & Dempseys, I know, but they're pretty darn pricey. So get her the very next best thing - a beautiful sleep mask, in D&D's iconic pineapple print (£15). A fraction of the price of their pyjamas, but she still gets to live that Instagram lifestyle. You can even get them monogrammed for an extra fee, if you really want to make her feel glam.